Boot-tree



J. H. SAMPSON. BOOT TREE.

No. 13,886. Patented Dec. 4, 1855.

\Q M Q N I) w H a g q UNITED STATES PATENT GFFTCE.

JAMES H. SAMPSON, OF GRAFTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT-TREE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,886, dated December 4, 1855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs HENRY SAMP- SON, of Grafton, in the county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Boat-Tree; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1, is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 2, a vertical central and longitudinal section of it; Fig. 3, a bottom view of it, and Fig. 4, a rear elevation of it.

In these drawings, the boat tree is shown as composed of three principal parts A, B, C, the leg being formed in two sections, A, B, and having the foot or part G connected to the portion B, by a vertical, dove tailed oint or connection as seen at D, such joint being so made as to permit the leg to be easily detached from or attached to the foot part, C, when the latter is placed within the foot of a boot. The two portions A and B, of the leg are formed and arranged with respect to one another as shown in the drawings and they have mechanism applied to them by which their distance asunder may be varied, or they may be pressed apart from one another, when they are inserted in the leg of a boot. The said mechanism is composed of three levers F, F, G, which are arranged within the back portion, A, and so as to work respectively on fulcra H, I, K as seen in Fig. 2. The upper one of these levers extends out of the back portion A, or through a mortise L formed in it as seen in Figs. 2, and 4:.

The upper end of the middle lever rests against the inner end of a screw or bearer, M, arranged and screwed into the upper part of the front portion B as seen in Fig. 2, the lower end of said lever lapping by the upper end of the lever, G, as seen in said figure. The lower end of the lever, G, rests against the lower part of the front port-ion or section B. By turning downward the lever, E, such motion to the levers F and G, will be produced as will cause the two sections, A, and B, to move apart from one another. In order to reta'in them in any desirable position or distance asunder, the lever, E, is provided with a projection or lip, 64, arranged on its side and made to work into any one of the notches of a toothed rack, 6, arranged as seen in Fig. 4c, sufiicient lateral play being allowed to the lever in order to enable the projection to be worked into and out of the notches as occasion may require.

A spring lever catch, O, is applied to the front section B, or is arranged therein as seen in Fig. 2. It has at one end a stud or projection, 0, which passes through the female portion of the dovetail and is made to enter a recess, (Z, formed in the male portion of said dovetail as seen in Fig. 2. The upper part of the lever catch rests against a spring, U. lVhen the two parts A and B are closed upon one another, the pressure of the part A upon the upper arm of the lever catch will prevent the stud of said catch from entering the aforesaid recess, but whenever the two parts A, and B, are separated or forced asunder, the spring lever catch will be free to be moved by its spring and so as to lock the foot C, to the leg portion B.

A journal, R, extends from the upper part of the portion A. lVhen the boot tree is in use, the said journal is inserted in a suitable socket piece or hearing affixed to a bed or table and serving with the journal to maintain the boot-tree in an upright posi tion as well as to enable it to be rotated or turned around as occasion may require while it is so sustained. In order to cover the joint between the two portions A and B, the front one has two lapplates S, T, aflixed to it and made to extend over the rear portion, A, as seen in the drawings.

In using the tree, the foot portion is put in the boot; next the leg parts are passed into the leg of the boot and connected to the foot by the dovetail. This done, the lever E is to be turned down until the sections A, B of the leg are pressed apart to the extent that may be necessary in order to true the boot leg or mold it into shape. By means of the screw in the upper part of the front section the proportions of the leg may be varied or such leg may be made wider at top after the parts A, and B have been moved asunder by the three levers E,

F and G.

Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination and arrangement of" the three levers and the screw M applied to the tWo sections A and B of the tree and In testimony whereof I have hereunto set i made to operate together substantially as my signature this third day of October A.

specified. D. 1855.

2. I also claim the combination of the JAMES HENRY SAMPSON. 5 spring lever catch with the foot, C, and Witnesses:

front section B, in the manner described R. H. EDDY,

and for the purpose specified. F. P. HALE, Jr. 

